Sinaloa (spanish
pronunciation [si'naloa]) is one of the 31 states of Mexico
, located in
the northwestern part of the country. The state is bordered
to the north by Sonora
and Chihuahua
; to the south, by Nayarit
; to the east
by Durango
, and to the
west, across the Gulf of California, Baja California Sur
. The state extends throughout a territory of
57,377 sq. kilometers, and exerts control over the Islands of
Palmito Verde, Palmito de la Virgen, Altamira, Santa Maria,
Saliaca, Macapule and San Ignacio.
Capital of
the state is Culiacan
, other
important cities include Los Mochis
and Mazatlan
.
Geography and environmnet
The coastal plain is a narrow strip of land that stretches along
the length of the state and lies between the ocean and the
foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental Range, which dominates the
eastern part of the state. Sinaloa is traversed by many rivers,
which carve broad valleys into the foothills. The largest of these
rivers are the Culiacán, Fuerte, and Sinaloa.
Sinaloa has a warm climate on the coast side, moderate-warm in the
valleys and lower mountainskirts, moderate-cold in small mountains
and cold in the high ones. Its weather characteristics vary from
subtropical, found on the plains, to cold in the nearby mountains.
Temperatures range from 22°C to 43°C with rains during the
summer.
There are numerous species of plants and animals within Sinaloa.
Notable among the tree species is the iconic
Elephant tree,
Bursera microphylla.
Culture
Culturally, it is known for a style of music known as
banda, and
corrido is also popular.
It is the only place
in the continent where the ancient ball game of Mesoamerica is still played, in a handful of
small, rural communities not far from Mazatlán
. The ritual ball game was central in the
society, religion and
cosmology of all the
great Mesoamerican cultures including the
Mixtecs,
Aztecs, and
Maya.
The Sinaloa version of the ball game is called
ulama; the consensus is that it is
faithful to the original game. There are efforts to avoid the
extinction of this 3500-year old unique tradition by supporting the
communities and children who still play it.
Demography
According
to the latest population census dating back to 2005, the state of
Sinaloa is home to 2,608,442 inhabitants, 60% of which reside in
the capital city of Culiacan and the
municipalities of Mazatlan and Ahome. It is a young state in terms of
population, 56% of which is younger than 30 years.
Other demographic particulars report 87% of the state following the
catholic faith; 1% of those over five
years of age speaking an indigenous dialect together with the
Spanish language; the main ethnic groups still residing in the
state are the
Mixtecs and
Maya, followed by the
Nahuatl
and the
Zapotecs; and finally,
life expectancy in the state follows the national tendency of
higher rates for women than men, a difference of almost five years
in the case of Sinaloa, at 72.5 and 77.4 years respectively.
Education
In terms of education, average schooling reaches 8,5 years, which
implies complete secondary school; however, 7% of those over 15
years of age is illiterate, and 5% of children under 14 years of
age do not attend school.
Institutions of higher education include
Municipalities
Sinaloa is subdivided into 18
municipios
(municipalities) See
Municipalities of Sinaloa
The
state's major cities include the capital Culiacán
, Mazatlán, a tourist resort, and Los Mochis, an agricultural
center.
Economy
The main productive activities of Sinaloa are agriculture, fishing,
drugs, livestock breeding, commerce and industry. The products
obtained from these activities are used for both local and national
consumption. Agriculture produces tomatoes, beans, corn, wheat,
sorghum, potatoes, soybeans, sugarcane and squash. Sinaloa is the
most prominent state in Mexico in terms of agriculture, and
additionally has the second largest
fishing
fleet. Livestock produces meat, sausages, cheese and milk. Cannabis
and Opium are also cultivated in high quantities in this
region.
Government and politics
The current governor of Sinaloa is Attorney
Jesus Aguilar Padilla (PRI), elected
for the period 2005-2010. The state is represented in Mexico City
by three senators:
Francisco
Labastida Ochoa (
PRI),
María Serrano Serrano (
PRI),
Mario
López Valdéz (
PAN) and by eight deputies: 6
of the
Party of the
Democratic Revolution and 2 of the
National Action Party.
Notable people
See also
- Chinola, Mexican slang word used to
define some specific individuals from Sinaloa
References
Line notes
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